Knowing God ‘in Deed’ / God Knows You Indeed
20 Come, my people, enter into your rooms
And close your doors behind you;
Hide for a little while
Until indignation runs its course.
21 For behold, the LORD is about to come out from His place
To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity;
And the earth will reveal her bloodshed
And will no longer cover her slain. (Isaiah 26)
The context of the above passage is described by Old Testament Commentator A. R. Faussett in this way: Isa 24:1-23. THE LAST TIMES OF THE WORLD IN GENERAL, AND OF JUDAH AND THE CHURCH IN PARTICULAR. The four chapters (the twenty-fourth through the twenty-seventh) form one continuous poetical prophecy: descriptive of the dispersion and successive calamities of the Jews (Isa 24:1-12); the preaching of the Gospel by the first Hebrew converts throughout the world (Isa 24:13-16); the judgments on the adversaries of the Church and its final triumph (Isa 24:16-23); thanksgiving for the overthrow of the apostate faction (Isa 25:1-12), and establishment of the righteous in lasting peace (Isa 26:1-21); judgment on leviathan and entire purgation of the Church (Isa 27:1-13). Having treated of the several nations in particular–Babylon, Philistia, Moab, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Edom, and Tyre (the miniature representative of all, as all kingdoms flocked into it)–he passes to the last times of the world at large and of Judah the representative and future head of the churches.
The twenty-sixth chapter is the “Song of Trust in God’s Protection.” This chapter begins: “1 In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; He sets up walls and ramparts for security.
2 “Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter, The one that remains faithful.
3 “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You.
4 “Trust in the LORD forever, For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock.
It sets up the thrilling conformation of the assurance of our safety and protection promised to us by the Holy One of Israel during the coming judgment of the wicked world. In the twentieth verse there is an amazing word used in the phrase “Hide for a little while.” The Hebrew word is h7281. עַגֶ רrega; from 7280a; a moment:–a wink (of the eyes), i.e. a very short space of time: — instant, moment, space, suddenly. Of what does this remind you? How about 1 Corinthians 15:51-52: “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” Accordingly, 26:19 describes the raising of the dead: “Your dead will live; Their corpses will rise. You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy, For your dew is as the dew of the dawn, And the earth will give birth to the departed spirits. In Chapter twenty-seven we have “the Last Trumpet.” Verse 13 begins: “It will come about also in that day that a great trumpet will be blown…” and the judgment and demise of the Great Serpent
occurs, named here as Leviathan, the fleeing serpent!
I suggest to you dear ones that when we hear the testimony of our Lord Jesus, like in Matthew 26:54 when He says about His future when He replies to His disciples when arrested:
“How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?” we readily consider that to be fulfillment of God’s Word that must happen with Jesus Christ. But dear one the same Scriptures tells us what must happen to us also. And it certainly “must happen this way”! Receive the joy, security and peace that is filled within the Holy Scriptures that must be fulfilled for us as well! Hear again the Word of the Lord God Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
“Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter, The one that remains faithful.
“The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You.
“Trust in the LORD forever, For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock.”
Blessings to all and remember, Abide Under the Shadow of the Almighty!
Pastor Robert
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